Managing security on their networks is such a headache for many IT administrators, they would rather undergo a root canal.

At the same time, regulatory compliance is the becoming the main driver for organizations to step up their security.

These are the findings of recent surveys conducted by management systems vendor NetIQ Corp., who says clever resellers can turn these challenges into opportunities.

A study of 1,361 technology managers worldwide, including 98 in Australia and New Zealand, found the majority of organizations have an unmanageable number of different security products.

David Taylor, NetIQ regional director for Australia and New Zealand, says 70 percent of local respondents found security management stressful and a hassle due to the proliferation of security threats and solutions that address them.